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Protect customers against car jamming

Using a remote device to block or jam the locking device to motor vehicles has unfortunately become an everyday occurrence in South Africa. When a person leaves their vehicle or home and pushes the remote to activate the locking and alarm system, a criminal pushes a similar remote at the same time effectively blocking the signal of the locking remote.

Remote jamming, car jamming or carjam as it is commonly known, has been difficult to detect and perpetrators often leave the premises before they can be apprehended. ADT Security recently launched a new jamming detector system which can not only detect when jamming devices are being used, but will also send an alert to both the security provider and the device owner.

“The system is perfect for businesses, shopping malls and petro ports, basically any area with a parking arcade or parking lot or where people leave their cars,” says Terry van Zyl, product developer at ADT.

“We are busy piloting the prototype and so far the results have far outstripped even our expectations. The first pilot project at a petro port reduced the number of daily car remote jamming incidents with subsequent thefts from cars from 20 to 30 daily to zero over a two-month period. This is remarkable and we are confident this device is going to be a great deterrent and crime preventer,” says Van Zyl.

Most importantly, since the installation of these devices at some key test sites, no losses were experienced.

The actual ADT anti-jamming detector system comprises a small device that is mounted on the outside of a façade wall of a building facing the parking area. The device scans a range of 180 degrees with an approximate radius of 100 to 150 metres. When it detects a real signal i.e. a jamming signal, a siren sounds on the device. A signal is then sent to the ADT monitoring centre which forwards an SMS to the device owner who can mobilise his security personnel.

Each production unit includes connections to the two major cellular networks, Vodacom and MTN. This ensures that the device will at least have coverage from one network.

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